SOUTH ASIAN RIVALS INDIA AND PAKISTAN ON MONDAY RENEWED THEIR COMMITMENT TO A PEACE PROCESS THAT HAD COME UNDER SEVERE STRAIN AFTER NEW DELHI BLAMED PAKISTAN-BASED ISLAMIST MILITANTS FOR THE MUMBAI BOMBINGS, REUTERS REPORTED. FOREIGN SECRETARIES OF THE TWO COUNTRIES -- OFFICIALS WHO HEAD THE RESPECTIVE FOREIGN MINISTRIES -- HELD TALKS ON THE SIDELINES OF A REGIONAL CONFERENCE IN THE BANGLADESH CAPITAL AND AGREED TO ADDRESS EACH OTHER'S CONCERNS OVER MILITANT VIOLENCE. "THE PEACE PROCESS IS IMPORTANT FOR BOTH COUNTRIES AND THAT IS SOMETHING THAT I FOUND THAT MY COUNTERPART ALSO BELIEVES IN," PAKISTANI FOREIGN SECRETARY RIAZ MOHAMMAD KHAN TOLD REPORTERS AFTER THE TALKS. "IT WAS A POSITIVE MEETING, IT WAS A GOOD MEETING. WE DISCUSSED EVERYTHING, WHERE WE STAND AND HOW SHOULD WE MOVE FORWARD," KHAN SAID AFTER THE HOUR-LONG TALKS. INDIAN FOREIGN SECRETARY SHYAM SARAN SAID HE HAD CONVEYED NEW DELHI'S CONCERNS ABOUT MILITANT VIOLENCE BY ISLAMIST GROUPS BASED IN PAKISTAN. "WE HOPE THAT THESE CONCERNS WILL BE PROPERLY ADDRESSED," HE SAID.
